Line #62 Creator/Rare


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dd6b49efca9d8e750c84cbc5392de15e.png]]
2
3	->''We're explorers, creators and magic makers. We forge new paths, building worlds and adventures to surprise and delight players around the world.''
4	-->-- '''Rare''' describing themselves on their website
5
6	[[http://rare.co.uk Rare Ltd.]] is a [[UsefulNotes/TheMidlands Twycross]]-based (though they started in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, also in Leicestershire) [[VideoGames video game]] development company founded by Chris and Tim Stamper in [[TheEighties 1982]]. They're famous for their pioneering of sophisticated technology to make video games, the sheer amount of {{double entendre}}s, [[UrbanLegendOfZelda the idiosyncratic little mysteries they weave into their games that leave gamers pondering for decades,]] and their media-shy nature.
7
8	While the company attained most of their early fame (as "Ultimate Play the Game") through their games on the 1980s home computers such as Platform/ZXSpectrum, Platform/Commodore64 and Platform/{{MSX}}, they are best known for their work with Creator/{{Nintendo}}. In 1985, the Stamper brothers figured out how to reverse-engineer an interesting new video game console from Japan known as the [[Platform/NintendoEntertainmentSystem Famicom]]. Nintendo was so impressed that they gave them the budget to produce titles for the system, which they proceeded to do to the tune of around sixty games under the new name "Rare" (having sold the "Ultimate" brand). While this period brought about games like ''VideoGame/{{Battletoads}}'', it would be the Platform/{{SNES}}-era where they'd find the start of their biggest wind of fame and success. Their subsequent experiments with the new technology once again managed to impress Nintendo, with the Japanese company now buying a 25% stake in the company (which would eventually grow to 49%) and giving Rare the option to work with one of their characters. They chose Donkey Kong, a once popular character that had fallen by the wayside in the face of ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros''' popularity, believing that they could revitalize the character and make him relevant once more.
9
10	Now doing business under the trademark of "Rareware", the company released ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry1'' in 1994, which became the best-selling game for the system behind only ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', and the ape would get additional games throughout the SNES's lifespan. The company would hit their stride come the Platform/Nintendo64, where they became well-known for such games as ''VideoGame/PerfectDark'', ''VideoGame/JetForceGemini'', ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing'', ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct'', ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'', (and subsequently its sequel ''VideoGame/BanjoTooie''), ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', and ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay''.
11
12	Early during the Platform/NintendoGameCube's life, however, a big change was on the horizon. While in the midst of producing ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'', Rare began looking for potential companies to fully buy out the studio, to help offset the rising costs of game development. With Nintendo surprisingly refusing to acquire the studio, the Stamper brothers found themselves being bought by [[Creator/XboxGameStudios Microsoft]], who had recently entered the console video game market and had been courting the developer for some time. The deal closed in late 2002 after Creator/{{Activision}} failed to make a better offer, and Rare was now a first-party developer for the Platform/{{Xbox}}. Rare retained ownership over their own characters and properties in the change, while Microsoft granted Rare permission to continue producing games for Nintendo handhelds if they so wished. For their part, Nintendo ''did'' [[DiscardAndDraw actually end up acquiring a Western game developer that same year after all]] -- the American Creator/RetroStudios.
13
14	Under Microsoft, however, Rareware (now simply "Rare" once again) would make games that received mixed-to-positive critical reception, with most becoming financial disappointments to varying degrees. Fans would come to feel that the UK-based developer had lost some of the magic it had when under Nintendo, and this sentiment would only become stronger over time, with the departure of Chris and Tim Stamper in 2007 not helping. Following the fan backlash towards and commercial failure of ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooieNutsAndBolts'', Rare would find themselves tasked with making sports games solely for the Platform/Xbox360's Kinect peripheral. ''Kinect Sports'' ended up being the most successful game produced by the developer in years, leading to a similarly successful sequel, but a failed third entry on the Platform/XboxOne.
15
16	By this point, several key employees had left Rare to form the indie company Playtonic Games and make [[SpiritualSuccessor the kind of games Rare used to be famous for in the N64 era]]--their first game, ''VideoGame/YookaLaylee'', would release in 2017 to mixed-to-positive reviews. In addition, while Rare properties would start to be utilized once again, it would be other companies playing with the characters, such as Creator/DoubleHelixGames with ''Killer Instinct''. The tides would turn with ''VideoGame/SeaOfThieves'' in 2018; while the open-world pirate game received mixed critical reception, it ultimately garnered positive audience reception upon release and soon became one of Rare's most successful titles of all time. In addition to continued support on ''Sea of Thieves'', Rare has been developing ''Everwild'', an action-adventure game currently scheduled for a 2024 release.
17	----
18	!!List of games:
19	[[foldercontrol]]
20	[[folder:Ultimate Play the Game (1982-1987)]]
21	[[index]]
22	* ''VideoGame/{{Jetpac}}''
23	** ''Lunar Jetman''
24	* ''Atic Atac''
25	* ''PSSST''
26	* ''Tranz Am''
27	* ''Cookie''
28	* The ''VideoGame/{{Sabreman}}'' series
29	** ''VideoGame/SabreWulf''
30	** ''Underwurlde''
31	** ''VideoGame/KnightLore''
32	** ''Pentagram''
33	* ''Alien 8''
34	* ''Nightshade''
35	* ''Cyberun''
36	* ''Gunfright''
37	* ''Martianoids''
38	* ''Bubbler''
39	* ''The Staff of Karnath''
40	** ''Entombed''
41	** ''Blackwyche''
42	** ''Dragonskulle''
43	* ''Outlaws''
44	* ''Imhotep''
45	[[/folder]]
46
47	[[folder:Rare (1985-1995)]]
48	* ''The Amazing ComicBook/SpiderMan'' (Platform/GameBoy LicensedGame)
49	* ''VideoGame/{{Anticipation}}''
50	* ''Arch Rivals: A Basket Brawl!'' (NES version)
51	* ''VideoGame/{{Battletoads}}''
52	** ''Battletoads in Battlemaniacs''
53	** ''Battletoads & VideoGame/DoubleDragon: The Ultimate Team''
54	** ''Battletoads Arcade''
55	** ''VideoGame/BattleToads2020''
56	* ''VideoGame/{{Beetlejuice}}'' (NES[=/=]Game Boy LicensedGame)
57	* ''VideoGame/{{Cabal}}'' (NES version)
58	* ''VideoGame/CaptainSkyhawk''
59	* ''VideoGame/CobraTriangle''
60	* ''Danny Sullivan's Indy Heat'' (NES version)
61	* ''Digger T. Rock: The Legend of the Lost City''
62	* ''[[Series/DoubleDare1986 Double Dare]]'' (NES LicensedGame)
63	* ''F-117 Night Storm''
64	* An NES adaptation of ''Pinball/HighSpeed''
65	* ''Series/TheHollywoodSquares'' (NES LicensedGame)
66	* ''Ivan 'Ironman' Stewart's VideoGame/SuperOffRoad'' (NES version)
67	* ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' (NES LicensedGame)
68	** ''Jeopardy! Junior Edition''
69	** ''Jeopardy! 25th Anniversary Edition''
70	* ''John Elway's Quarterback'' (NES version)
71	* ''VideoGame/MarbleMadness'' (NES version)
72	* ''Monster Max''
73	* ''VideoGame/{{NARC}}'' (NES version)
74	* ''[[VideoGame/ANightmareOnElmStreetNES A Nightmare on Elm Street]]'' (NES LicensedGame)
75	* ''Pinbot''
76	* ''VideoGame/RCProAm''
77	** ''Super R.C. Pro-Am''
78	** ''R.C. Pro-Am II''
79	** ''Championship Pro-Am''
80	* ''Series/SesameStreet: 123'' (NES LicensedGame)
81	** ''Sesame Street: ABC''
82	** ''Sesame Street: ABC & 123''
83	* ''VideoGame/SidMeiersPirates'' (NES version)
84	* ''Silent Service'' (NES version)
85	* ''VideoGame/{{Slalom}}''
86	* ''VideoGame/SnakeRattleNRoll''
87	** ''Sneaky Snakes''
88	* ''VideoGame/SolarJetman: Hunt for the Golden Warpship''
89	* ''Super Glove Ball''
90	* ''VideoGame/TabooTheSixthSense''
91	* ''VideoGame/TimeLord''
92	* ''Series/WheelOfFortune'' (NES LicensedGame)
93	** ''Wheel of Fortune: Junior Edition''
94	** ''Wheel of Fortune: Family Edition''
95	* ''VideoGame/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'' (NES LicensedGame)
96	* ''VideoGame/WizardsAndWarriors''
97	** ''Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II''
98	** ''Wizards & Warriors X: The Fortress of Fear''
99	** ''Wizards & Warriors III: Kuros: Visions of Power''
100	* ''[[VideoGame/WWEVideoGames WWF]] [=WrestleMania=]'' (NES LicensedGame)
101	** ''WWF [=WrestleMania=] Challenge''
102	** ''WWF Superstars''
103	* ''World Games'' (NES version)
104	** ''California Games'' (NES version)
105	* ''X The Ball''
106	[[/folder]]
107
108	[[folder:Rareware (1994-2003)]]
109	* ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie''
110	** ''VideoGame/BanjoTooie''
111	** ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooieGruntysRevenge''
112	* ''VideoGame/BlastCorps''
113	* ''VideoGame/ConkersPocketTales''
114	** ''VideoGame/TwelveTalesConker64''
115	** ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay''
116	* ''VideoGame/DinosaurPlanetRare'' [[labelnote:note]]Started as an original I.P for the Nintendo 64, but later shifted into ''[=StarFox=] Adventures'' with the partially completed gameplay development halted.[[/labelnote]]
117	* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry''
118	** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry1''
119	** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry2DiddysKongQuest''
120	** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry3DixieKongsDoubleTrouble''
121	** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongLand''
122	** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongLand2''
123	** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongLandIII''[[/index]] and its [[NoExportForYou Japan-only]] Game Boy Color port, ''Donkey Kong GB: Dinky Kong & Dixie Kong''[[index]]
124	** ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing''
125	** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64''
126	* ''VideoGame/{{GoldenEye\|1997}}'' (N64 LicensedGame)
127	* ''VideoGame/JetForceGemini''
128	* ''Ken Griffey, Jr.'s Winning Run''
129	* ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct''
130	** ''Killer Instinct''
131	** ''Killer Instinct 2''
132	** ''Killer Instinct Gold''
133	* ''Mickey's Racing Adventure'' (GBC LicensedGame)
134	** ''VideoGame/MickeysSpeedwayUSA'' (N64[=/=]GBC LicensedGame)
135	* ''VideoGame/PerfectDark''
136	* ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures''
137	[[/folder]]
138
139	[[folder:Rare, a subsidiary of Microsoft (2003-to-present)]]
140	* ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooieGruntysRevenge''
141	* ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooieNutsAndBolts''
142	* ''VideoGame/BanjoPilot''
143	* ''VideoGame/ConkerLiveAndReloaded''
144	* ''VideoGame/{{Everwild}}''
145	* ''VideoGame/GrabbedByTheGhoulies''
146	* ''VideoGame/ItsMrPants''
147	* ''Jetpac Refuelled''
148	* ''VideoGame/KameoElementsOfPower''
149	* ''VideoGame/KinectSports''
150	** ''Kinect Sports: Season Two''
151	** ''Kinect Sports Rivals''
152	* ''VideoGame/PerfectDarkZero''
153	* ''VideoGame/SeaOfThieves''
154	* ''VideoGame/VivaPinata''
155	** ''Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise''
156	** ''Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise''
157	[[/index]]
158	[[/folder]]
159
160	----
161	!!Tropes associated with Rare:
162	* AuthorAppeal: FunnyAnimal, DemBones, CoolCars, ForcedTransformation, {{Pirate}}s, and SphereEyes. Female characters are also prone to HartmanHips, and {{Animesque}}.
163	* BritishHumour: Well they are a British company, after all. It's particularly visible in their Platform/Nintendo64 platformers, which have a good deal of snark and BlackComedy to go along with the improved storytelling capabilities of MediaNotes/TheFifthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames.
164	* CompilationRerelease: ''Rare Replay'' for the Xbox One was a release of thirty titles they were well known for. For licensing reasons, this naturally excluded their ''[[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry Donkey]] [[VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing Kong]]'' [[VideoGame/DonkeyKong64 games]] or ''VideoGame/GoldenEye'' (prior to its' UpdatedRerelease, which owners of the digital version of ''Rare Replay'' can [[DownloadableContent download for free]]).
165	* CreatorThumbprint: Keys. ''Enormous'' keys, bigger and heavier than the characters, the most famous being the infamous ice key from ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie''/''Banjo-Tooie''. Both ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing'' and ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' feature gigantic gold keys as {{plot coupon}}s; finding or using a key is always a momentous occasion. ''VideoGame/AticAtac'' was all about finding the four small(ish - they're the same size as a wrench) keys that unlocked the [[ColourCodedForYourConvenience doors]] to find the ACG Master Key, a gold key ''that took up your entire inventory''.
166	* DevelopmentHell: If one were to list all of their announced games that had been cancelled (''Donkey Kong Racing'', ''[[VideoGame/KameoElementsOfPower Kameo 2]]'', etc.), one would be here all day. This started way back in their Speccy days, with ''Mire Mare''. At least the first ''Kameo'' and ''[[VideoGame/SabreMan Sabreman]]'' still managed to see the light of day (the former on Xbox, the latter on Game Boy Advance). Given that Rare can no longer make games for Creator/{{Nintendo}} consoles, ''Donkey Kong Racing'' ain't never seeing the light of day, and the way things are looking, while ''something'' at least came out of ''Dinosaur Planet'' and ''Diddy Kong Pilot'' (they were [[DolledUpInstallment turned into]] ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'' and ''Banjo-Pilot'' respectively), it's pretty much a given ''Donkey Kong Racing'' won't even have ''that'' kind of luck.
167	* ExecutiveMeddling: ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'' was originally going to be an original IP called ''[[VideoGame/DinosaurPlanetRare Dinosaur Planet]]'' for the N64. However, early in development, Creator/ShigeruMiyamoto saw the notes, noticed the main character looked similar to [[VideoGame/StarFox Fox McCloud]], and convinced them to make it a ''VideoGame/StarFox'' game instead.
168	* FollowTheLeader: It cannot be denied that Rare had a tendency to play to the trends, exploring the same genres and tropes as other games, usually from Nintendo, that had recently been successful. ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry1'' followed ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' and ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2''. ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'' followed ''VideoGame/SuperMario64''. ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing'' followed ''VideoGame/MarioKart''. ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct'' followed ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1992''. This was evident even before ''Donkey Kong Country'' as ''VideoGame/{{Battletoads}}'' followed the ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' craze. While they have been making an effort to avoid this during their Microsoft years, the Xbox Live Avatars blatantly imitate [[Platform/{{Wii}} Miis]].
169	* FriendlyRivalry: In their golden age the teams within Rare were closed off from each other and according to Chris Seavor in his director's commentary for ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay'' would constantly be trying to out do one another when working on their projects.
170	* FunnyAnimal: Often sporting {{Heroic Build}}s (the Battletoads, their take on Donkey Kong, Kremlings, etc.).
171	* GottaCatchThemAll: The trend started in the ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' series, where progressively more and more items were needed to attain OneHundredPercentCompletion. Later, ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'', while a great game, had a rather large number of collectibles. Finally, ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' took things up to eleven with the same amount of collectibles given to all characters.
172	** The ''Rare Replay'' compilation embraces Rare’s history by featuring possibly their most daunting collection task of getting all 330 stamps. This requires beating all 80 snapshots and the 6 unique playlists, and completing every milestone for all 30 games (5 per pre-Nintendo 64 game, 10 per Nintendo 64 or beyond game), some of which require absolute mastery or the individual OneHundredPercentCompletion of their games.
173	%%* LiveItem: ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'', ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'', ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'', ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures''
174	* PopCultureUrbanLegends: There was an old rumor that [[VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing Timber]] would have his own game with Pipsy and Bumper as his co-stars, which Rare has [[https://www.gonintendo.com/s/186836-former-rare-devs-talk-wii-u-3ds-interest-clear-up-timber-64-rumor-talk-donkey-kong-racing denied]]. While it is true that Timber was the protagonist of ''Pro Am 64'' before it was retooled into ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing'', the alleged ''Timber 64'' was supposed to have been a different game entirely. This trope was later subverted when Rare dev Kev Bayliss mentioned in an [[https://gonintendo.com/stories/377450-dinosaur-planet-concept-art-revealed-timber-from-diddy-kong-raci article]] that Timber was going to be the main character of [[VideoGame/DinosaurPlanetRare Dinosaur Planet]] (a.k.a [[VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures Starfox Adventure]]) at one point. In fact, the game started out as a GenreShift sequel to ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing''.
175	* PromotedFanboy: In the UsefulNotes/{{E3}} 2016 gameplay trailer for ''VideoGame/SeaOfThieves'', two of the members of crew 3 are Chad [=McCanna=] and Hyle Russell, diehard Rare fans who are best known for ''Series/ElvisAndSlickMonty'' and ''Website/DKVine''.
176	* ScheduleSlip: During their time as a second party developer for Nintendo, it wasn't uncommon for Rare to delay games if the higher ups felt they needed more time. Reportedly, one of the reasons why Nintendo declined to buy out Rare was because they were annoyed that the studio didn't have any of their in-development titles ready in time to launch alongside the [=GameCube=].
177	* TrollingCreator: People at Rare have openly admitted they put the occasional item pickup in their games that is easily visible but in reality completely inaccessible, just to drive players crazy looking for a secret way to get them.
178	* UncreditedRole: Most of their games never credit the voice actors. Part of this is because many of them (notably Chris Sutherland, Grant Kirkhope, and Kevin Bayliss) are simply {{Descended Creator}}s working within the company's other departments.
179	* UrbanLegendOfZelda: The Stop-n-Swop feature in ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'' that would've been used in ''Tooie'', but due to Rareware not anticipating the N64 being unable to transfer data between both games, it was dropped.
180	* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
181	** Rare at one point was going to help the development of more Power Glove-based games as well as the unreleased sequel accessory the Turbo Glove, but they stopped these plans due to the critical failure of the Power Glove and lack of public in-trust.
182	** The company was given an offer to be bought out by Creator/{{Activision}}, but the deal fell through. Funnily enough, Activision itself would be bought by Microsoft two decades later.
183	** In the mid 200s Rare teamed up with Creator/FourKidsEntertainment with the intent to create television shows and toylines based on their [=IPs=], including ''Banjo'', ''Jet Force Gemini'', ''Perfect Dark'', and ''Viva Piñata''. Only the last one managed to receive a cartoon before 4Kids' financial woes led to their bankruptcy.

Context Creator / Rare